What to do in... March

This month brings about new hope with the emergence of the season ahead. The starting point is what needs doing first? Well no two gardens are the same so the simplest answer is to start at one point, if you have a green house or conservatory start here as you will need space to start plants off from seed and encourage some plants inside for a quick boost. Pick one bed or container and stay with the task in hand so the process wont seem to daunting. Sheds should be emptied and cleaned and equipment checked ready for the work to begin. Look for the emergence of early weeds and deal with them quickly, hand picking or use the hoe if it’s dry.  Don’t think of buying summer bedding it’s far too early and your money will be wasted, for instant colour add some winter bedding plants such as pansies, primroses, dianthus and spring flowering bulbs. Also look at structure and longevity and purchase shrubs and perennials, sub divide and share excess with friends and neighbors.

Flowers - Prune summer-flowering clematis, cutting above a low pair of green buds, Cut out dead stems of hardy fuchsias, Prepare areas in flowerbeds ready for sowing hardy annuals in late March and into April, digging over, weeding and enriching the soil, Lift and divide congested border plants, Plant out lilies to fill gaps in borders, or grow them on in pots, Trim winter-flowering heathers, Prune out old stems of elder to promote new growth from the base, Cut back last year's buddleia stems to ground level, Lift and divide large clumps of hosta, Trim winter-flowering jasmine and tie in new shoots to supports, Sprinkle granular fertilizer or well rotted manure around clumps of spring bulbs, roses and shrubs, Finish pruning roses as soon as possible, Cut down all previous year's growth on late flowering Clematis, Cut back overgrown honeysuckle stems close to their base, just above new shoots, Trim back old shoots of perennials left for winter interest and divide any clumps such as phlox and campanula, by cutting off rooted outer sections and transplanting them elsewhere, taking care not to damage emerging new growth, Sow last remaining sweet peas into deep pots, Move evergreen shrubs and conifers to new sites, Place grow-through plant supports over tall-growing perennials, like delphiniums to enable your display the best chance in the summer.

Allotment - Sprinkle a handful of sulphate of potash fertilizer around the base of fruit trees and bushes, Plant new raspberry canes and blackberry plants, Place tunnel cloches or simple sheets of polythene over beds to warm soil for early sowings, Sow crops in pots or trays in the greenhouse, ready to transplant later. Repair netting on fruit cages, Buy herbs to plant up in containers that you can position near the house, Plant out shallots, Sow the following crops outside or under cloches: carrots, beetroot, broad beans, salad onions, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, spinach, leeks, lettuce, rocket, coriander, mixed salad or stir fry leaves, radish, turnip, peas, lettuce and Swiss chard, To harvest new potatoes in June, grow an early-maturing variety in a large pot of compost, Fork compost into beds to prepare soil for planting, Chit potatoes by standing them in trays in a warm bright position until they develop small shoots, Dig out problem weeds and emerging annual weeds, Cover rhubarb with forcing jars to encourage long, delicious pale stems, Cover rows of strawberries with cloches to encourage early fruiting, Spray fruit trees and bushes with fungicide to prevent powdery mildew disease attacking them, Pick off faded and yellowing leaves from Brussels sprouts to stop disease spreading, Sow peas in lengths of guttering under cover, so you can plant out seedlings in an instant row, I saw this on BBC Gardeners world and tried it last year with great success! Later in the month plant out onion sets in rows, spacing them about 10-15cm apart, Carefully dig away grass or plants growing close to the stems of fruit trees to reduce competition, Feed cabbages and other brassicas with pelleted chicken manure or another nitrogen-rich fertilizer.

Glasshouse and Conservatory - Empty your glasshouse or conservatory and thoroughly clean inside and out, pressure washing the frame, staging and glazing if not already done. Cut back over wintered fuchsias, and increase frequency of watering to encourage new growth, Sow summer bedding plants, Monitor temperatures with a max-min thermometer to ensure heaters are working efficiently, Plant strawberry runners in hanging baskets, which you can grow in the greenhouse to produce an early summer crop, Sow dwarf French beans in a large pot for an early crop in June, Plant lily bulbs in pots either to use in the border or to add elegance to a patio display, Repot established agapanthus into slightly larger containers using a loam-based compost, Plant begonia and gloxinia tubers in pots, Take cuttings from dahlias to raise new plants, Continue sowing cucumbers, tomatoes, aubergines and peppers to raise summer crops, Take cuttings from chrysanthemums, Pick faded or yellowing leaves from plants to prevent grey mould infections Watch out for pests, like whitefly and red spider mite, and treat at once, Put a mouse trap in your greenhouse if you find seeds and plants being eaten, Slugs should be emerging in numbers now so keep an eye out and take early preventative measures.

General - Spread a layer of manure or compost around roses and shrubs, Prepare areas for laying new lawns in spring, digging over, weeding and enriching the soil, Be on the look out for slugs and snails, which will attack emerging shoots of perennials, Keep weed seedlings under control, hand weeding regularly or using a hoe if conditions are dry, Check mowers and garden machinery are in good working order and ready for the season ahead, Look out for compost bargains at garden centres so you'll have all you need for spring sowing and potting, later in the month mow lawns then trim new edges with a half-moon edging tool, Replenish gravel and stone mulches on alpine gardens and beds replace any lost plants and divide any larger spreading specimens, Buy summer-flowering bulbs to plant in spring, such as gladioli, tigridia, galtonia, eucomis, anemone, lily and acidanthera, Plan your seed-sowing year by organizing packets in sowing order in a shoe box or tray, apply residual path weed killers to paved and gravel areas, Lay sheets of black polythene on lawns overnight to bring leatherjackets to the surface where they can be collected, Build new compost bins to recycle garden waste or buy form www.recyclenow.com, it’s the cheapest way! Cut down marginal plants around ponds, and mulch with compost or bark, Mow paths through areas of long grass and meadows to avoid walking on bulbs and wildflowers, Wash off greenfly from shoot tips with soapy water, Feed rhododendrons, azaleas, pieris and camellias with ericaceous (acidic) plant food, Several shrubs with low-growing stems can be propagated by layering, such as honeysuckle, mock orange (Philadelphus), rhododendron, magnolia and forsythia, Plant up flower beds with new shrubs and hardy perennials, Pick off developing seed heads on daffodils and spring bulbs, Dig out new ponds and water features, Clean and sharpen secateurs and garden knives. Above all get ready to enjoy the start of spring!